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Integrating Technology

Karen Bolchhttp://integrating-techoptions.wikispaces.com

A digitally literate person:


  • Possesses the variety of skills – technical and cognitive – required to find, understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information in a wide variety of formats;
  • Is able to use diverse technologies appropriately and effectively to retrieve information, interpret results, and judge the quality of that information;
  • Understands the relationship between technology, life-long learning, personal privacy, and appropriate stewardship of information;
  • Uses these skills and the appropriate technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, colleagues, family, and on occasion, the general public;
  • Uses these skills to actively participate in civic society and contribute to a vibrant, informed, and engaged community
                            • ALA Digital Literacy Task Force (8/2012)
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Why integrate technology? Use it as a tool to enhance learning - engagement, creativity, choices, offer a global audience for student work, allow them to create and share, give them a comfort level in exploring tools online, let them evaluate and determine credibility of resources, develop fluency and imagination....there are multiple reasons.

Need:.
Microphone, headphones, Wiki or website/online presence to post or showcase on, laptop computer/desktop or lab, phone/digital camera, Internet access, video camera, an email account, speakers, projector

Tips:
  • Never use student last names on products or gallery showcases
  • Use .edu or free educator versions- some take a few days to get approved
  • Have IT create an EASY generic email for setting up accounts so they are transferrable and not linked to one staff member
  • Create an account password that young students can easily sign in with if necessary -ie 123 (it can be changed)
  • Think carefully about how to set up teacher/student accounts- teacher accts/students accts/school accts
  • Get parent permission slips for each student for posting work online
  • Some tools work better in different browsers – Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, Chrome
  • Model tools in classroom first before students sit down in front of keyboards
  • Show final product sample to get students interested so that they understand the goal and what they are creating
  • Teachers should explore tools and create a product prior to showing students - especially if doing alone
  • Perfectly okay to let kids “ figure it out” and tell them you have no idea and figure it out together
  • Allow “little pros” to assist other students - huge confidence builder
  • Most tools are free - some educator upgrades have a nominal charge for 100 student accounts - usually worth it
  • Some resources are stand alone free software; each needs to be downloaded onto individual computers
  • Explore software for the lab that can push out updates and software to all computers simultaneously
  • Develop a PLN - Personal Learning Network locally, statewide and nationally - share and follow those whose work you like
  • Talk aloud when you need to figure out a tool so students can observe the process you go through
  • Backwards plan so you make sure your are teaching the focus, not just the tool
  • Remember that you don't teach WORD you teach word processors and all have the same functionality and options - somewhere there is a help button, a format option, a print option - they just need to explore
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Resource for Donations/Funding:
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Glossary of Terms:
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Web 1.0 - static web- old Internet- look up information- strictly one-way
Web 2.0 - interactive /creative web - create and interact online
Widget – gadget which can be embedded in a website - thousands are available for free
Embed - placing html code into a website to allow item to show up (embed code is generated automatically)
Format – type of format item saved in VIP for importing or exporting - jpg, ping, MP3, WAV, pdf, etc.
RSS Feed - subscribing to an account which collects posts from a website/blog/newsfeed
Aggregator – a tool which acts as a gatherer of information i.e.. Kayak
Database - collection of information put together by experts (both free and fee based)
Smackdown - a quick intro to tools by subject matter
Wiki - an online presence which can be collaborative
Search Engine – online search tool – Google, Kidsclick, IPL, ILL.org, etc.
Pathfinder - Resources pulled together by an expert – print, databases, online resources
Primary Source - original document – diary, photograph, sheet music, notebooks, etc.
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Free Student Tools are available for:
  • Digital storytelling
  • Drawing and artblue_ring_projectbasedlearning2x.jpg
  • Webbing and mapping
  • Timeline generators
  • Digital interactive posters
  • Primary sources access
  • Digital recordings/podcasts
  • Comic strip generators
  • Slideshow & presentation tools
  • Blogging/online journaling
  • Webquest
  • Slideshow generators
  • Website creation
  • Global pen pals
  • Webcams
  • Virtual tours
  • Google lit trips
  • Architectural drawings
  • Kids graphing
  • Book reviews
  • E-books
  • Video conferencing
  • Polls, surveys, data collectors
  • Geography resources
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    Work with your Librarians !
  • Online Assessements
  • Word cloud generators
  • Online citation tools
  • Evaluation/cyber bullying
  • Digital stories
  • Typing skills
  • Educational games
  • Collaborative tools
  • ipad apps for collaborative and creative work

Free Teacher Tools:
  • Collaborative tools
  • Teacher video resources
  • Classroom Mgt Apps
  • Digital bookmarks
  • Easy Access for your students
  • Online presence for parents
  • Alternative projects that demonstrate mastery
  • Student showcase
  • so many more !!!
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Here are some resources with information on tech standards:
(do not judge yourself, merely determine where you are and where you would like to go next)
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ISTE - International Society of Technology Educators
Student Standards
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Teacher Standards

Administrator Standards

Coach Standards

Computer Science Educator Standards


Other fabulous resources to explore:

21st Century Learning Skills
Bloom's Digital Taxonomy

Createdu

Edutopia
Please note, technology standards are now embedded into the curriculum for most states and within Common Core - ISTE aligns well with both.

BVSD Creative Writing Presentation
Copyright 2010-2016 Karen Bolch